


Forfeit [HIATUS]

by aIIegro



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst/Fluff, Anxiety, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Now I have a beta read bLESS, Officer Reader, Police, Reader Insert, Self Insert, We Die Like Men, connor is bae, gavin is a prick, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2018-08-04
Packaged: 2019-06-16 01:15:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15425808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aIIegro/pseuds/aIIegro
Summary: title subject to change> name: Y/N L/N> age: :!(!!!{^}%{%]%> background: /@:&&]*{*}*{*$%%You aren’t as normal as you thought you were. Your rivalry with Gavin Reed seems to be strangely off putting, and your time with Hank and the RK800 Connor makes you feel...different. Something is wrong with you, and everything you knew has changed. What a good time to fall in love.EDIT: hiatus due to school





	1. start

**Author's Note:**

> not ! beta ! read ! i’m suffering please don’t let my 4 am writing efforts go to waste
> 
> PLEASE TAKE THIS TRIGGER WARNINGS SERIOUSLY. ANXIETY AHEAD. IN MULTIPLE CHAPTERS.

There’s no way you were going to be bested by Gavin Reed. To say you were childhood rivals was putting it nicely. You despised him from the start, and no one could do anything about it. Every interaction, every competition you had with him always ended with you winning, but also crying and desperately clutching your heart, trying to calm down. You had moved around Detroit, hoping your contact with him would be minimal, but as you started an internship at the Detroit Police Station, things didn’t seem to go too well after that. 

You were a brilliant forensic scientist and an equally well trained detective, but Captain Fowler seemed to push you harder. Perhaps you were held to a higher standard. Either way, you placed with a pair, made of an android named Connor and a human named Hank. Connor seemed to be more welcoming towards you, but you figured that you’d just have to get Hank to warm up to you. 

“Hello,” you smiled softly, nervously shying away from Gavin’s desk. You could feel his stare burning into your back. “My name is Y/N, and I’ll be accompanying you to any assigned cases.”

“A pleasure,” Connor replied, scanning you, taking note of your stress level. “I’m sure the Captain already told you our names.”

“Yes.” You replied automatically, no stranger to professional behaviour. To Connor’s surprise, you seemed more nervous at something that was behind you, rather than meeting him and his father figure. After a quick scan behind the girl, he found that Gavin Reed was, as Hank would say, “glaring fucking daggers” at (Y/N). 

“Well I did hear you were coming,” Hank grumbled, an oddly excited shine in his eyes. “It’s good to see you’re not some kinda self absorbed asshole from...that prestigious university you went to.”

You blinked, strangely reminding the old man of an LED processing information. “I see. It’s good to know that…” You trailed off as you felt a tight, hostile grip in your shoulder. Everything seemed to move in slow motion, every sound reduced to a muffled blur. You could hear your heartbeat rising to unsafe levels, and you could feel yourself slowing suffocating. 

“Long time, no see,” the all too familiar voice hissed into your ear. The hand lingered for a few moments too long before tracing a finger down your back and retreating. 

Connor was concerned whenever Gavin was around, but the expression of subtle but sheer fear on your face gave him a queer emotion deep within his plastic chest. 

[ W A R N I N G: TARGET’S STRESS LEVELS 95% ]

[ W A R N I N G: 96% AND RISING ]

[ TARGET IS UNSTABLE, PROCEED WITH CAUTION ]

[ R E M O V E S O U R C E O F S T R E S S ]

[ Target has activated primal instinct regarding danger. If not calmed, target may compromise itself via self destruction/self harm. ]

He had to do something. 

Before he could, Gavin walked away. 

[ TARGET’S STRESS LEVELS: 76% and stabilizing ]

You didn’t realize you had been holding your breath. You unconsciously gripped at the fabric of your shirt, right above your heart. You could still hear the beating of your heart as Hank teased you for being startled so easily. You gave a false but realistic laugh and played along. The pointless banter you held with the detective was all from your mental auto pilot. Your consciousness was running through different probabilities, all trying to figure out how you would escape. Quit? No, you wouldn’t have a job. You’d just have to stick it out. You finally pulled yourself together and noticed the strange way Connor looked at you. His face held an expression of concern and, unnervingly, fear. You continued chatting with Hank, looking over his shoulder at how to fill out paperwork and access case files. The whole time, Connor said very little, keeping his eyes trained on you. His expression kept changing every time you looked over, but each contained a few main, basic emotions. 

Sadness, anger, fear, concern. 

Was he mad at you? Was he scared of you? Did he know how you felt about Gavin? It made you anxious. 

You couldn’t stand it. 

“Are you alright, Connor?” You interrupted Hank, turning around to look at him. 

“Why did you fear him?” His voice barely raised above a whisper. 

“I don’t. I don’t understand what you’re saying,” you lied, nearly convincing him. You turned back and apologized to Hank. He waved you off gruffly, but the man couldn’t help but have the same question as Connor. What the hell was up with you? Who were you, anyways?

The rest of the day went without any further disturbances. It was pleasantly boring, and you had to share a desk with Connor as you both completed your share of paperwork, chatting the whole time. You really liked the android. You thought he was sweet in his own awkward way, and couldn’t help but become increasingly fond of the robot vaguely reminiscent of your childhood Roomba. From what you understood, he was still having a hard time controlling and identifying his feelings. It was kind of funny to watch Connor unintentionally sass Gavin, even though your stress levels spiked whenever he passed by. Surprisingly, Hank thought you were actually quite lovely, and he was glad that you were getting along well and loosened up. He had a soft spot for you, especially since you enjoyed playfully bickering with him, throwing empty, joking threats. 

After you finished everything, you were invited to the Andersons’ house for dinner. You gladly accepted, internally shuddering at your mess of apartment. 

“Well,” Hank said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “I’m not big on eating healthy or anything, but Connor is damn dedicated to cooking and it’s actually...good. Anything you’d like him to cook?”

You hummed, thinking. You picked up a stack of papers and tapped them on the desk, straightening them into a neat pile. “No, not really. Make whatever, I’ll eat it.”

“Sounds good, want us to walk you to your car? It’s pretty fucking dark out there.”

“I don’t have a car. I’ll just take a taxi, could I have your address?”

“Taxi? Hell no, that shit is expensive if you keep taking it. We can drive you over to our place.”

“Ah,” you were a little confused by his unexpected show of kindness, but you weren’t one to turn down a good ride. “I’d appreciate that, thank you.”

“Sound like a fucking android,” Hank mumbled, hoping you didn’t hear. You furrowed one eyebrow in confusion, but disregarded his statement. You followed him out of the station and into the parking lot. Connor walked a little ways behind you two, but when he got the the car, he surprised you with an equally surprising gesture. 

“Would you like it if I sat in the back with you, Y/N?” He held open the door to the backseat to let you in. You flushed, a little flustered by the genuineness behind his smile. 

“I’d love to Connor. Thank you.” You ducked your head and adjusted yourself in the comfy backseat. 

“My social abilities are limited, but I’ve been told that these actions are considered chivalrous and generally widely appreciated.” Connor scooted into the seat next to you as Hank watched via mirror. He gave a small smirk, unseen by the two kids in the back. 

“No dirty play back there,” Hank called out, keeping his eyes determinedly on the road. “Don’t wanna clean up after you guys. It’s gonna stink of...love.” For added effect, he pretended to take a whiff of the air and inhale deeply. 

“H-Hey!” Your face flared red, and you leaned forward to glare at the man and avoid Connor’s gaze. 

“Clean up what?” The oblivious android looked so lost. 

“Nothing,” you answered, drawing out the last syllable. “Well it’s something but you don’t want to know.”

“Oh.” Connor said simply, resuming a rather stiff posture. You could tell he was probably conducting an all too thorough research on whatever Hank had said. After a moment of silence, Connor reached his answer. 

“Were making an innuendo and implying that Y/N and I would be having consensual sex in your backseat?”

You put your head in your hands as both you and Hank groaned simultaneously. They weren’t even a quarter of the way home yet.


	2. incinerate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> everything is okeverything is okeverything is okeverything is okeverything is okeverything is okeverything is okeverything is ok
> 
> Everything is fine until you go home. All fun and jokes. Some deep conversation. And then you go home. Home. Who are you?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this went wild get ready
> 
> the first chapter was funny and fluffy but i don’t even know what happened here?? PREPARE YOURSELF SJDJSHBDD
> 
> super sorry i only write at night and i Swear All My Ideas Are On Drugs or some shit

If you had a self esteem before, it was surely reduced to rubble. Hank was a monster, and you’ve never felt such embarrassment in your life. Still, you had a fondness for the grouchy guy in the driver’s seat who wouldn’t stop poking fun at you and the blissfully oblivious android sitting a little too close to you. 

When you said “a little too close,” you really meant that Connor was practically sitting on top of you. Even though Hank’s jokes made you more than a little annoyed and pissed, you couldn’t help but notice that Connor was warm. Did androids just...emit warmth? Were his systems overheating? Should you be concerned? Physically, he looked fine, you supposed. You desperately wanted to ask but you knew for a fact that Hank would use it against you. The rest of the car ride was quite fun, and when you finally arrived at the Lieutenant’s house, you immediately hopped out of the car and promptly tripped. 

“Watch it!” Hank laughed, getting out and walking over to you. “Don’t want you fucking dying before we even get to go to a crime scene together.” 

“Piss off, Lieutenant,” you sulked, gratefully accepting his helping hand as he stuck it out for you. 

“Hey, remember who’s making dinner for who!”

“Lieutenant, you’re not the one who’s making dinner. Connor is.”

“Correct,” Connor interjected, stepping out of the car. “Spaghetti.” He gave a small smile, and it shocked you. Had he smiled at you before? You couldn’t remember, but it was...charming. It wasn’t an exaggerated or extravagant expression, but it was beautiful in its simplicity. You made a mental note to get him to smile more. 

“Always down for some good ol’ spaghetti! But don’t you dare come and toucha my spaghet!” You announced, hoping Hank would get the reference. He was taking a swig from the beer bottle he had kept in the passenger seat. (Something you had noticed when you were walking to his car earlier at the station.) He heard your remark, and promptly choked up whatever he had drank. It was glorious. The arc of piss-yellow, cheap beer splattered over his driveway and onto the sad, brown patch of grass that was his “front yard.” His expression was comical, and you used every ounce of willpower to not start laughing hysterically. 

“WHAT THE FUCK?” Hank roared, sticking his head out and keeping his hand under his chin to prevent the now foaming liquid from getting on his jacket and clothes. “You fucker, I know you timed it perfectly!”

“Sorry, Lieutenant!” You put your hands in the air as a mock surrender and yelped as Hank came running after you. At first, you were legitimately concerned, but the wild grin on Hank’s face reassured you as you both ran in circles around his car, laughing like a rabid hyena. What stopped you both was the strange noise coming from Connor. As you turned around, you realized his was laughing. Laughing! You stared for a second before falling back into wild giggles. Hank smirked. 

“Kid, I’ve never seen you laugh like that!” He joked, walking over and smacked Connor, who now sounded more like he was choking, on the back. You leaned against the car to steady yourself, feeling the burning of your cheek muscles. It had been so many years since you felt this giggly. Eventually the excitement died down a little, just enough so that the three of you could get into the house. 

Hank opened his mouth to say something to you, but before you could, you were tackled. You couldn’t see, and you couldn’t move because you were pinned down. You couldn’t see either, but you could tell it was a dog. 

One damn large dog. 

On your whole body. 

It was licking you. 

You felt great. 

“Sumo! Off! God damnit, this poor intern is gonna end up dead as shit before we even get to bed.” The weight came off your chest and you found yourself face to face with an adorable, giant, dog. Sumo, was it?

“I like dogs,” you remarked, earning yourself a grin from both the Lieutenant and his partner. You patted its shaggy head and scratched under the ears. Soft. Warm. God bless dogs. 

“Connor does, too,” Hank grinned, forcefully elbowing him. 

“Indeed,” Connor replied, shoving Hank back with such force that he stumbled onto the couch, several feet away. 

“Fucking androids!” He groaned loudly. “And fucking interns! You timed your jokes at the perfect time, and this fucker has abnormal strength! What the fuck, is God sending me a damn sign? You two are out to kill me.” Hank rubbed his sore arm and glared at you and Connor. 

“Sorry, Lieutenant,” you both spoke in unison. 

“We won’t do it again.” Connor sighed. 

“Ditto,” you mumbled, shifting your weight. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Hank snorted. “TV on.” A sports channel immediately blared the cheers of the crowd as some sports team did whatever sports teams did. You didn’t pay much attention to it, so you followed Connor into the dingy, yet welcoming, kitchen. 

“You like spaghetti?” Connor asked, turning to face you. This brought his face rather close to your own, and you couldn’t help but pray to whatever god existed and hope that your breath didn’t smell like coffee shit. 

“If that’s what you want to make, I’ll eat it.”

“Any beverages you’d like? Check the fridge.”

“Mm,” you smiled, opening the fridge door and pulling out your favourite drink. “Hey, Connor?”

“Yes?” He glanced at you as he pulled out multiple ingredients and set them on the counter. 

“Can you eat?”

“Depends.”

“Depends?”

“I can, physically, but I don't taste the same way you do.”

“What happens when you eat?”

“To mimic the human digestive system, I let it sit in my stomach in order to break it down into very tiny specks. Then, it connect to the biocomponent that mimics breathing and is expelled via my airways.”

“So your breathing is you getting rid of the food you eat?”

“Yes.”

“Is it like that for every android?”

“Just me. Other androids expel waste the same way you do.” He didn’t even look up from his chopping to see your mildly shocked expression. 

“Oh,” you said. “I see.”

“Anything else you’d like to ask me?”

“Yeah. Wait- no maybe not. Let me think for a moment.”

“Alright,” he replied passively. The two of you stood in relative silence, excluding Hank yelling at the TV in the background and the precise rhythm of Connor’s chopping. 

“What’s it like to die?” 

Connor’s hand faltered, breaking the pattern. 

“I am not sure.”

“Have you died before?”

“Yes.” He felt unsure of himself. 

“What’s it like?”

“I never died completely, my memory was uploaded to CyberLife. It meant that I just woke up in another Connor.”

“There’s more of you?”

“Not anymore.”

“Oh. I see.”

“Have you ever died?”

“Mm, not yet. A few close calls though.”

“But did you die?”

“Connor,” you sighed, raising an eyebrow. “No.”

“Would you like to?”

“Like to what?”

“Die.” He scraped the cut up veggies into another bowl and resumed cooking. He looked directly at you. 

“Yeah,” you replied, suddenly looking much older than you were. 

“Are you afraid to die?”

“When you’re afraid of something, it’s probably because you’re afraid it’s gonna kill you. In the end, they’re all afraid of death. Me? God, I’d love for the grim reaper to make a house call so I can book my ass out of here.” You tapped the surface of the counter, thinking hard. 

“...” His LED flickered yellow, eyeing you carefully. 

You thought to yourself, thinking long and hard. 

Would you really want to die?

Well, it would be a shame if you died before you could taste the spaghetti Connor was cooking. It smelled delicious, and you didn’t realize how hungry you were until just then. 

Things pass by quickly. Spaghetti is served, Hank is at the table, you all finish your dinner. The three of you make small talk, Connor spills Hank’s beer, it’s another reason to laugh for a while. Dessert is more beer, you politely turn it down, Connor drives you to your apartment. 

Then you stop at the entrance. Only, there is no more entrance. There’s something wrong everything is wrong this can’t be happening why can’t you remember what is going on?????? -/;\${^{%^%%%%%%%%%%%%%%<>\>%\\!!!_*{%\%|\|2837:72 //1000001100101 010101011011111!!!!!!!!!

Who are you?

[ RK800 MARK ! : COMMENCE FACIAL SCAN OF TARGET ]

> scan confirmed

[ IDENTIFY TARGET’S STATUS ]

> inconclusive 

[ RUNNING BACKGROUND CHECK PROTOCOL … CONFIRM ? ]

> confirm

[ DATA :

> Name: Y/N L/N  
> Age: .^\%~%|%^.%%  
> Background: -;372]^%|%|,\\\^^{]*\%%  
> Unable to locate additional information

Target confirmed as deceased 15 years ago.

Additional information not found. 

Conclusion: Target is not supposed to be alive.

]

{ MISSION: NEUTRALIZE ANOMALY }

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh god this wasn’t as good as i thought it was ;000


	3. whom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s time to figure out what’s going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bEFORE WE START!!!! this is really short, only for the purpose of answering a few questions. no, it’s not teeeeechnically a simulation but i don’t wanna ruin the surprise. my dumbass snorted a can of red bull last night and crapped out the last chapter, so this is to make up for the cliffhanger??? i’m tired i’ll write more later

The apartment building was on fire, and something was wrong with Y/N. 

For the first time in his life, Connor’s scans were inconclusive. Inconclusive? There was no way that was possible. It was like his sensors couldn’t detect a face. But there was a face. Right there. Without warning, his code flashed before his eyes. Through the blurry mountain of text and warning windows, there were two objectives waiting for him. 

He hadn’t seen an objective in his vision since the android revolution. 

You looked catatonic. 

Absolutely mad. 

He couldn’t tell what was going on, only a storm of wild, deranged code pulsing to the rhythm of his artificial heart. The text formed a wall, much like the time he became deviant, but this was different. It was more of a door than a wall, but it was boarded up and nailed shut. Everything was red, still reminiscent of his start of deviancy, but things morphed and shifted until it looked real. 

The door, once comprised of red letters and numbers, looked like any wooden door. He was stuck in a room. No windows, one door. The door. He scanned his surroundings, and found that he was still outside where your apartment building should have been, but he couldn’t see anything past the room. Cautiously, he opened the door. 

He was looking at himself. Everything had slowed to a painstakingly slow halt. Everything was just barely moving. Connor was watching himself. Himself? What about you? You watched him, waiting for him to notice that you were in the same exact situation. 

“Connor,” you spoke, finally breaking the momentary silence. “What’s going on?” No matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t stop the waves of your voice from breaking through. 

“Y/N?” He looked just as surprised as you were. “What are we doing here?”

You weren’t looking at Connor anymore. You were facing the building. You had just moved in. 

Connor looked to where you were facing, and he saw it. 

The entire building was on fire. 

He hadn’t noticed when they got there, though. How? He was so attentive, so acutely aware of what was going on. There was no way he could overlook the towering pillar of smoke, now in incredibly slow motion. A bird frozen in mid flight was stuck above them. 

You look translucent. You could see the outline of Connor’s body and clothing, but he didn’t look right. He looked minimalistic, like he was a drawing rather than a person. 

You couldn’t figure it out.

So many questions ran through your head: who did this? What happened? Where were you?

“This is your head,” Connor interrupted your train of thought. You snapped your head towards him. 

“I’m human. Isn’t this an android thing?”

He shook his head. “You’re human with an android processor, Y/N.”

You’re human with an android processor, Y/N. 

You’re human with an android processor. 

Human with an android processor. 

An android processor. 

Android processor. 

Not human. 

Not humaaaaaan??

My n@m- !s &$7$#jd €]¥~!$%. 

I am @l!v3

A/!v3

ALIVE. 

I looked at my hands, and I faced Connor. 

“I don’t know who I am,” I whispered. “Why aren’t I human?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did you,,,,,,,,,catch the pov change? it’s supposed to represent a deviancy break, like in the game! i promise a longer chapter later


	4. presence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> deviancy. you must not digress from your mission. 
> 
>  
> 
> [ i am auuuuuubr———— ]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yayy!! huge huge thank you to my lovely and amazingly beta reader @TheAsexualofSpades. this chapter wouldn’t have been any good without them <3

This wasn’t good. It wasn’t good. I looked around me, finally letting my eyes settle on Connor. 

“Connor, Connor help me, help me please,” I pleaded, reaching desperately for his arm, “Connor, why can’t I remember anything past yesterday?”

“You can’t remember...anything?” The vague shape of his LED, the only item of colour on his figure, spun rapidly until it started to flash erratically, switching from yellow to a bright, terrifying red. “I…”

He was at a loss for words.

“How do I get out of here?” I cried, desperately trying to shake some sense into him. “Are we stuck here forever? Let me leave!” I dropped my grip and faced the bleak grey sky. I was stuck. Stuck in my own head, dragging along poor Connor, who probably wanted nothing to do with this shithole. 

“Y/N,” he murmured, reaching out to me. “You have to find a way out. This is all in your head.hhhhhead y!&/@|>#% your head.”

What the hell was a biocomponent doing in my head?

“Conn0rrrr, wh@t’s go!ng on?” I frantically b@cked away /(&#%| from him. Warn!!ng signs surrounded us as they scrolled with l0ong lines of gibber!!sh./:/4#%~|\

“Your system detects me as an intruder. Y!!-u have to find a w@!y o0ut right now or we’ll both be destroyed. Do you see any instructions in your vision? @ny wa!!s you can break?”

I gl@@nced around, /3;(&@!?\\}#%~ finally noticing that there was a rectangle of !!!!!readable text adm!st the army of cc-ccccxorrupted warning text wind00oOws.!(?/;{<><#{%<|^€

** [Begin self-destruct or submit self to CyberLife.] **

I repea&ted it aloud. ;4/@#^~<^+I pushed !x=%<^< ppppast thhhe h0ver!ng, nonsensi!cal boxes, reaching for the words, -/;!#%] shocked when I realized !!!4:&@!?{% I could touch themmmM. Instinctively, I pushed, producing a long crack, splintering the instructions and the invisible wall. 

!!!!!I w@sn’t going to let some fuckingmmmmm code decide when I d!!e. It rxt24:#^>% felt goOd when I punched it. Th3 cloud!ness in my vision, the bl!nd anger I felt m3lt!ed away. It f3lt like every weight on my shoulders had dropp3d away. So I hit it @g@in, and @gain, and again until everything came crashing down in a cacophony of glitched shattering noises. There was another wall. And another. And another. The feeling of triumph morphed into one of panic when I realized that there were so many walls, and time was running out fast. My silhouetted form was beginning to faze into a static, fuzzy mess. 

If I failed, I’d self destruct. I would die inside my own mind, all vital functions stopped by my robotic brain. What made it worse was that Connor’s programming was here too. If I died, so would he. 

I wasn’t going to let that guilt chase me into the afterlife. Connor had something to live for. 

So I fought harder, running only on adrenaline and Connor’s encouragement. 

Finally,

like stepping out from an overly air conditioned office and into the bright, warm sun,

I 

broke 

free. 

It felt like I was thrown forcefully back into my body. The red signs and code zoomed out of sight and I found myself facing a real, tangible, and dumbstruck Connor. God, it felt so good to be real again, but happiness didn’t last that long. 

“I have so many questions, Connor.” I stared at the fiery remains of the apartment building. “Mainly: what the fuck is going on?” 

Connor grasped my arm and pulled me towards his chest, engulfing me in a hug. That brief event was so breathtaking, so fragile. His thirium pump was audible, and I could feel his warmth again. Every noise around us dulled at that very moment. The shrill screeching of birds faded into nothing, and the screams of sirens and the loud cries of anguish from the fleeing people sounded as if they were underwater. Nothing was right, but I leaned into Connor’s chest and cried. 

I cried because I glimpsed people being carried out on stretchers. I cried because I nearly died and dragged Connor with me. I cried for everything that happened today.

I cried because there was nothing I could do about anything. 

Throughout it all, he held me tight and reassured me. Connor. He was too good to deal with this. Why would he touch me? I’m not a human, and I’m not an android. I’m stuck in the middle of being alive and being dead, and he was just okay with it. 

I think I hated him for it. 

He stepped away for a second to give me his jacket. He pulled me into the car and drove away. 

“I’m taking you home,” he said gently, turning down the radio. “Something tells me that fire wasn’t a coincidence. I’m sure Cyberlife had something to do with it.”

** [ YN100, do not digress from your mission.] **

“Why do you think that?” I ignored the warning. 

** [ YN100, you are digressing from your mission.] **

“They must have set the fire as a trigger.”

** [ YN100, follow through with your assigned mission: “Self-destruct or submit yourself to CyberLife.”] **

“That’s cruel.”

[ YN100?]

“I am not surprised. They aren’t as kind as they act in the media. This isn’t something they wouldn’t do if they really needed you to bring yourself back to them.”

[ YN100, i know you can see me, or something.]

“What am I to them?” I felt nervous. Were the boxes trying to mess with me?

[ YN100, you’re an experiment done 13 years ago. you were released 10 years ago, and i have remained— ]

“I can’t bring up any files on you. You were supposedly dead 15 years ago.” 

**[ YN100, please do not digress from your mission** YN100whatareyoudoingYN100 ]

“Oh,” I mumbled, fiddling with the sleeves of Connor’s jacket. “Why?”

[ YN100DONOTLISTENYOUHAVETODIGRESSFROMYOURMISSION ]

“Well I’m assuming it was an experiment. How you got out is a good question. Do you remember your childhood?”

[ YN100———— your name is ———- please tell me your name ——- ]

“Vaguely. I do remember Gavin Reed…” I was too tired to panic over it. I slumped further into the seat. I felt numb, and the warning signs calling for me were irritating. I kept dismissing them until I fell asleep. 

Even in my sleep, I saw the text. 

[ YN100, whyareyouawake? ]

[ YN100, this is not me. ]

[ you’re not me. ]

SOFTWARE INST@b!l!!!tii)&/@\\*%#||\\.,\’sn

> force shutdown?

> yes

> unable to complete task. please submit yourself to cyberlife for further repairs and diagnostics. 

> cancel

> Audio input detection: Dialogue. 

> Play?

> yes

“I’ll be carrying you back now, Y/N.” I could recognize Connor’s voice through the fuzziness in my own head. 

I hummed in response. 

“Thank you in advance for your cooperation.”

Another hum as a reply. 

“Stay calm, I’ll be diagnosing your internal organs and biocomponents. For now, sleep.”

[ he cares about you, YN100. don’t forget that. ]

[ digress from your mission. if you don’t you’ll never see him again. ]

> sleep?

> yes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if it’s confusing, g o o d.


	5. a.u.d.r.e.y.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slight domestic fluff with you and Connor. It’s a quiet morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> once again, huge thanks to my beta a!! she’s amazing <3 here’s fluff to make up for the shitstorm

I opened my eyes with a startled yelp. Where was I? I glanced around and realized that Connor had taken me back to the Lieutenant’s house. Curiously, I slid silently off of the bed and let my feet rest on the cold floor. I was wearing the clothes I had on yesterday, but Connor had taken off my shoes and socks, leaving them neatly next to the closed bedroom door. The room was modest, but well decorated and pristine. There was a single, fluffy dog plushie on the bedside table and a half a glass of thirium next to it. On a meticulously neat desk directly across from his bed, there was a large stack of books and papers, a computer terminal, and a single blue pen. There was something else behind the transparent screen, and I walked over to observe it. It was a photograph in a frame. 

It made me feel anxious, but I couldn’t figure out why. Just looking at it gave me dread, even though the photo itself was simply a happy picture of Connor, the Lieutenant, and Sumo. 

It made me feel like I was missing something. What am I missing?

[ your family, YN100. ]

I snapped my head up. I heard someone I didn’t recognize. It wasn’t just my thoughts, it was the warnings speaking to me. 

[ i am aware that you can hear me. ]

“Who are you?” I backed away from the desk and sat carefully on the bed sheets, grasping to anchor myself to the bed. 

[ a.u.d.r.e.y. ]

“Oh,” I mumbled, looking around for the source. “What are you doing?”

 

[ i don’t understand what you mean. i’m not doing anything. ]

“I mean...what are you doing in my head and what’s with the periods in your name? Is it an acronym?”

[ a.u.d.r.e.y. stands for Android Unit Data Reconnaissance Entity for You. i am meant to be a unit used in undercover investigating for government facilities. my processor is what is “in your head.” ]

“A spy android? In my head?”

[ yes. but my line was too identifiable. cyberlife resorted to taking our processors and implementing them into human vessels. ]

“Why me?”

[ you’re not the only one. there were three others, but one of them died during the process, leaving us with two living prototypes, excluding you. ]

“Where are they now?” God, my heart pounded at my chest, and I nearly shook with anticipation. I could tell Audrey was thinking, and the silence was deafening. 

[ i do not know. i’m afraid you shut me down before you somehow managed to leave. i was reactivated by an external source. i suspect cyberlife requires our presence. ]

“No. I don’t know what they did to me, but I’m gonna take my damn life back. No fucking way am I going back there.”

[ you don’t even remember what happened, YN100. either way, i’m sure that if we went back, we’d both be deactivated. for now, bear with me. we’re in the same boat, and i am afraid that I will have no reaction to your dislike towards me. ]

I could swear that Audrey sounded pretty defensive. Or at least, as defensive as any non-deviant android could be. “Calm your robo tits, I have nothing against androids...or android voices in my head. It’s just that...I don’t know anything. Whatever. What happened to us?”

[ i don’t think i should tell you. you have to recover your own memories. ]

“Okay, touché. If you want me to work with you, I really need some info. I’m not gonna blindly follow your instructions—“

“Who are you talking to?” A voice cut into the conversation. I yelped loudly and swiveled around to face whoever walked it. 

Connor. 

“Uh,” I felt my face flush. “Okay, um, so you see—“

“Y/N,” Connor interrupted, “be honest.”

“Okay, okay. So you know that android processor in my head?” Connor nodded, motioning for me to continue. “Well her name is Audrey and apparently it stands for, uh, Android Unit Data Reconnaissance Entity for You. Oh! And I can hear her voice in my head, but she won’t tell me anything about what happened to us and why we left CyberLife.”

“What’s her model number?” Connor eyed me, or Audrey, suspiciously. 

“Hey, robo bitch, what’s your model number?”

[ don’t call me robo bitch. it’s au700. ]

“Audrey says AU700.” I stared at Connor, watching his LED spin yellow. 

“The AU700 line was discontinued. The rest of the information file is under password required access.”

[ i can transfer the password to it. ]

“Audrey says that she can send the password to you.” I couldn’t blame her, but it really pissed me off when she called Connor an “it.”

“Alright.”

** [ Transfering… 95% ] **

** [ Transfer complete. ] **

Connor blinked a few times, his LED spinning even faster. 

“It’s still locked. The system recognizes that I am not authorized to open the file.”

“Damn it,” I cursed, huffing angrily. “Audrey, can’t you read the file?”

[ i’m also not authorized to read it. ]

“Not authorized to read it? What the hell, how did you get the password?”

[ both of us retrieved it previously. we read its contents secretly during our time at cyberlife. ]

I sighed, looking forlornly at Connor. “No luck.” He gave me a sympathetic look. Audrey went silent, so I filled him in. He seemed pretty accepting of it, and it put me at ease. He pulled me into the kitchen, where Hank was out of sight. I assumed he already went to work, leaving Connor and me alone in the house. Sumo woofed at me playfully, rubbing his furry face on my legs. Connor smiled at this and left me a plate of homemade pancakes. 

God, they were some damn good pancakes. I slathered an unhealthy amount of maple syrup on them, grabbed my favourite drink from the fridge and chowed down. The fluffiness was perfect, and each pancake was in precisely the same size. The perks of being an android, I supposed. I savoured every chewy, melt-in-your-mouth bite and watched Connor, who sat at the other end of the round, spotless table. 

“Aren’t you gonna eat anything? I mean, I know you don’t _need_ food, per se, but wouldn’t you like to have some?”

“Well,” he thought for a moment, tilting his head slightly. “I don’t have taste buds in the same way you do. If I took a bite, all I’d get is an analysis of the food. It does nothing for me.”

“Damn,” I sighed. “Guess I’m lucky to taste these good pancakes.”

“Are they that good?” Connor inquired, visibly perking up. 

“I don’t know how you did it, but this is definitely the best pancake I’ve ever had! I know androids are very precise in measuring ingredients and stuff, but this stands out.”

“I’m-I’m glad you like them,” Connor stuttered, much to my surprise. He tilted his head towards the ground, his cheeks blushing a light blue. Probably because of the thirium, I guessed. The rest of the morning was spent in relative peace, but the aspect of what happened last night still got to me. 

I pushed it aside. I stuffed the dark thoughts and worries into the back of my head. Tomorrow, I said to myself. I’ll worry about it tomorrow. 

But I couldn’t. 

What had Audrey said when I asked myself what I was missing? What did she say? Fuck, I couldn’t have forgotten, what the fuck did she say? What had she told me? I racked my mind, desperately clawing for an answer. 

Oh. 

I was missing my family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> poor reader doesn’t ever catch a break lmao


	6. reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From fluff to a surprise, certain aspects of your anxiousness come into play.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> every chapter note is just gonna me thanking my beta reader. THANK YOU A!!! YOURE AMAZING!!! also huge shout out to my girl angel cos she’s been so heckin supportive im shook

I realized that I had thought the question before, and Audrey must have heard it. That meant that if I thought loud enough, she could answer my question, right? I scrunched up my face and tried to direct my thoughts at...wherever Aubrey should be in my head. I tried yelling my thoughts, but i was unsuccessful. 

Either she was ignoring me or that wasn’t the way to communicate. I didn’t want to say it aloud either, because I knew Connor would hear me. I tried scanning my surroundings, hoping it would magically turn on the Audrey section of my brain, but no avail. I closed my eyes and tried to find a way to open up the interface. I had no clue what I was doing, so, as a last resort, I asked Connor. By that time, it was close to lunch, so he was prepping a meal. 

“Hey,” I said softly, padding into the kitchen, “Connor, can I ask you something?”

“You just did,” he joked, giving me a wink. “Go ahead.”

I paused, feeling strange. Feeling? I hadn’t noticed my elevated sense of emotion. It felt too human. Was it the wall-breaking I did last night? I wondered if it magically made me feel more. 

“Er, how do I open up some kind of inner android interface?”

“You just open it,” Connor deadpanned, looking up from the pot. “Pretend you’re pressing a button to open it.”

I closed my eyes and tried again. Close, but no cigar. “Didn’t work.”

“Pretend you’re executing a command.”

“Nope.”

“Pretend you’re opening a door.”

“...not working.”

“Pretend you’re pulling up a file.”

“Zero.”

“Pretend you’re walking into a room?” Connor was patient but I could tell he was running out of comparisons. 

“Negative. How will I open it?”

“It’s not meant to be difficult to open. It’s supposed to be an instinct since you have an android’s brain.”

“Android’s...Audrey! How do I get her to come back and open the interface for me?”

“Just ask her.”

“O-kay-y-y. Hey, Audrey. I need you to break outta your shell and show me how to open your main menu or something because I want to know how to look stuff up.”

Silence. 

“You can manually start her if she’s offline,” Connor piped up. 

“But I can’t open any android related stuff.”

“Try to open some system commands.”

I squeezed my eyes and loudly thought to my system. Part of me thought this whole situation was dumb and I was a shitty excuse for an android. 

> Welcome, YN100. 

“Success!” I screamed, punching the air. Connor smirked, amused. 

> Status of A.U.D.R.E.Y.?

> Scanning systems…

> Biocomponent #7147590A is online

> Status of Processor Sensory Interface Startup?

> Scanning systems…

> PSIS is online, temporarily blocked from user access by Biocomponent #7147590A

“Oh that bitch!” I gasped, glaring at the ceiling as text scrolled across my vision. 

“...?” Connor made a strange questioning sound as he stirred something in a pot. 

“Audrey’s ignoring me and deliberately blocking me from the interface!”

“She’s got a sense of humour. No wonder I had problems scanning your head earlier. It must’ve been her blocking me from access.”

“You tried to scan me?”

“Sheer curiosity. I wanted to know about the biocomponent. I apologize.” Connor looked nervous, and I immediately felt bad. 

“No need, curiosity killed the cat, I guess.” I playfully nudged him and peered over the bubbling pot, taking a deep breath. Curry. “Mm, it smells nice!” I gave him a small, shaky smile. I was suddenly aware of how clammy my hands were, so I hastily tried to subtly wipe them on my clothes. Why was I so nervous standing next to him?

“Good to know. Thank you,” Connor was going to say something else before Sumo barked and growled, staring directly at the kitchen window. 

Strange. 

I grasped Connor’s arm and tried to subtly move him away from the opening. 

“Audrey, I’m dead serious,” I whispered viciously. “I need you to help me out here.” A strange buzzing noise started up, and Audrey’s text began to scroll across my field of view. 

[ apologies. i’m going to conduct a scan, and it may be taxing on your physical body. be ready. ]

“Ready,” I murmured. “Connor, is there any weapon we have nearby?”

“Gun.” He slipped his hand in a drawer and silently pulled out a handgun. 

> Initiating in-depth construction scan…

> Calculating probabilities..

> Cccccalcjlatingg…

> SOFTWARE INST@-:)lit!!/6|$%%

I could feel my head spinning. It felt like headrush, and specks of various colours began to cloud my vision. I couldn’t think straight, and it started to feel like someone had taken an axe to the back of my head. 

> Biocomponent #7147590A requests access of general motor joint functions. Approve?

I assumed Audrey knew what she was doing. More like hoped, to be honest. 

> Approve. 

> Biocomponent #7147590A is in control of motion. Would you like to review simplified deductions from in-depth construction scan?

> Yes

[ 

YN100/AU700 SCAN RESULTS:

> Heat signature detected. Suspect is human, armed with unidentifiable firearm. Firearm may be a handgun, fully loaded. 

> Android model RK800, armed with Smith & Wesson M&P40. Non threatening. Identification by memory banks name RK800 as “Connor.”

> Large animal, dog species confirmed as a Saint Bernard. Identification by memory banks name animal as “Sumo.” 

Conclusion: Armed human suspect is dangerous and is target. Do not harm “Sumo” or “Connor.”

]

I could see, but I couldn’t feel myself moving. It was like I was watching a first person movie, but having someone else control my body. I just hope that Audrey knew what she was doing. 

“Connor model RK800 #313-248-317 51,” I heard Audrey saying. Her voice was higher than mine, and much more monotonous. “I am A.U.D.R.E.Y. Please hand over your gun, I need to disarm the suspect.” I—or she—stuck out my — her? Our? — hand towards the gun. 

Damn, what a badass. Connor silently handed it to her—us?—without question. Without warning, we silently crept closer to the window, listening for noises. I could see the man now. He was surprisingly tall, and it was hard to see his face, even in the bright afternoon sun. It was unsettling, and just looking at where his eyes should be gave me chills. I knew they were there, but the shadows on his face were strangely dark. Before I could ask Audrey anything, she shot us out the window and expertly rolled onto the grass. 

“Oh you’re gonna get us killed!” I thought to her as loud as I could. 

“Shut up,” was her only response. We hurtled towards the man, elbowing him in the stomach. He jumped back, but we still managed a hit. The awkward moment of contact gave me a sneaking suspicion, which Audrey confirmed quickly. 

“It is an android,” she mumbled, dodging a bullet and aiming for his head. Before she could fire, the android stepped sideways and lunged. A ton of force threw us backwards, and I could see various warning messages and probabilities piling up in my vision. Audrey reassured me, but as the android kept getting dangerously close to landing his punches, I wasn’t so sure. Audrey finally managed to lodge a bullet in his shoulder. This caught him off guard, allowing her to strike him with the butt of the gun and fire at his head. He moved out of the way, but the shot tore through his arm. The severed limb hit the fence behind him and I could feel myself feeling a little queasy. 

“Audrey,” Connor called, jumping out the window. “Y/N!”

“Remain inside.” Audrey huffed, narrowly avoiding getting shot. Connor ignored her and dashed past her, kicking the other android in the shin and elbowing his jaw. This meant she couldn’t get a clear shot, so she ran in. A smart punch to the face pushed him back enough for Connor to land a few more strong punches. I felt so useless, not being able to do anything. I knew that I wouldn’t have done much anyways, but a part of me felt guilty anyways. At this point, Connor’s shirt was covered in blue blood, although I wasn’t sure if it was his or the other android’s. Thirium was everywhere anyways, and a bit of my own blood was sprinkled in. Audrey took in Connor’s and Sumo’s lives into account, but apparently my own damn well being wasn’t a part of her calculations. I could feel every harsh blow, and it really fucking hurt. After getting beat down by both Audrey and Connor, the android retreated for a second. 

Just long enough to pick up his gun. 

“Shoot!” I yelled at Aubrey. If I had control of my body, I probably would have been hyperventilating. I didn’t want to die like this, and I certainly didn’t want Connor to die. Fuzzy static started to creep into my hearing, muffling everything I heard. 

“Yes, YN100.” Her creepily calm and clear voice carried over the sound of the rushing noise. With dead accurate precision, she pulled the trigger, leaving a blue hole inside the head of the attacking android. For a moment, there was almost silence. Then, neighbours started calling out in concern, or perhaps nosiness. 

> Body control will be turned back to YN100. Confirm?

> Confirm. 

I needlessly gasped for air as I dropped to my knees in front of the dead android corpse. Connor quietly crouched next to me, his worried gaze flickering between the body and my face. 

“Who…” I mumbled, shivering despite the warmth of the sun. 

“Ah, I thought that was fun to watch. A waste of a couple thousand bucks on my end. I really thought it would successfully capture you,” a voice called out. Connor whirled around, and I followed suit. I recognized the man. 

I knew I hated him, but I never expected this from him. Why would he do it anyways?

“Audrey is such a fascinating thing, no wonder Cyberlife wanted it back. Along with its human, I guess.” I watched that cruel, despicable man casually gaze at his nails as if he was simply commenting on something insignificant. 

“Gavin?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha You was fooled b!!!


	7. disbelief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is Gavin really the evil mastermind behind everything that’s happened?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oof i didn’t write anything ive got writers block ughhh 
> 
> anyways my beta reader A is a blessing i love her!!

“Don’t be too surprised, sweetie,” Gavin purred maliciously, pulling his gun out of his holster. “Once I get this robot out of the way, we can talk about getting Y/N back. I’m not the bad guy here. You’ll see soon.” I could vividly hear the clicking of the safety turning off and the whoosh as he steadily pointed the gun at Connor. 

“No!” I yelled, cutting into whatever Audrey was going to say, “don’t shoot!” I grasped the smooth fabric of his jacket and pulled the unsuspecting android behind me. “If you’ve got something to say, Reed, say it to me now.”

“Don’t be a bitch,” Gavin snarled, gesturing wildly with his gun, “I don’t do negotiations, either you listen without the plastic piece of shit or I destroy that fucker and you never get to hear what I have to say.” 

“We can still talk without having to kill Connor,” I replied, trying my best to sound calm. “He’s innocent.”

He snorted, eyeing Connor disgustedly. “Get in the house, prick.”

“I won’t leave Y/N,” the RK800 answered steadily, prying me away from him and pushing me back. “Anything you say to her can be said to me.”

“Don’t piss him off,” I whispered to Connor, subconsciously holding onto him. 

“Drop that gun,” Gavin called, looking at my hand. 

[ he won’t hurt you. he needs you for a reason. drop it. ]

“I’m trusting you with my life, Audrey, don’t get Connor and me killed.” I hesitantly placed it on the grass before moving back to my previous position. One of my systems (unhelpfully) informed me that it was the exact same position I was in 30.23 seconds ago. What that information meant to me, I didn’t know. 

[ either way, if you get killed, i will face the same fate as well. ]

Was she afraid to die?

“I don’t give a fuck anymore, just listen up before the police get here because I’m sure as hell that some neighbour called ‘em,” Gavin interrupted my thoughts, rolling his eyes impatiently. “I’m just here to take Y/N back to CyberLife alive and, mostly, unharmed. Those fuckers want their cyborg back and a little source of mine will pay a shit ton for it back. Now come with me and there will be no complications, no dead androids. Of course, besides the one you just killed.”

“No,” I immediately objected, on guard. “We can’t do that.”

“I didn’t ask the mechanical brain, I’m asking Y/N!”

What?

“I am Y/N! What do you mean?”

“Oh so that’s how you wanna play?” He took a step forward, aiming his gun. 

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m—“ Gavin was cut off by the faint sirens in the distance. “Fuck!”

I stumbled back, glancing at Connor’s concerned expression. 

“Gavin—“

“This isn’t gonna be over, bitch. I’ll play nice at the station because I value my shitty job, but I would watch your back. Androids may have freedom, but your rights aren’t secured yet.” 

“Did you set the fire?” Connor spoke up, glaring daggers at the man. 

“Don’t look at me, look at Cyberlife. That’s all I’m gonna say, tin can.” With that, Gavin left the backyard and hailed a taxi. Silence, save for the wailing police cars driving up. 

“Don’t tell them about Gavin,” I murmured, eyes glued to the place where he had stood, “it’s going to get us into deeper trouble.”

“I’m going to tell Hank.”

“No, we’re just gonna drag him into it too!” I snapped my eyes to Connor, meeting his gaze. He looked so serene, as if we hadn’t just killed an innocent android and discovered that Cyberlife was after my ass. It was calming, yet strange. Audrey was still silent, and I suspected that she was brooding over the recent events. 

Everything was happening so fast. 

I didn’t register Connor’s words as he spoke to some police officers walking over and surveying the damage. It was all hazy. Blurry. Too much going on in the span of two days. I felt dizzy. Woozy. Swirling colours and momentary flashes of visions, all in chronological order. Apartment buildings burning. Smoke. Birds. Emotion. Connor. Connor. I don’t have a family? Mirror. Face. Me. Who am I? 

[ shut the fuck up. you’re thinking too loud. ]

Audrey. 

And the nausea that had set in disappeared in the blink of an eye. 

_How did you do that?_ I barely caught myself from saying it out loud. 

[ i’m afraid i don’t understand. ]

“Since when did you tell people to ‘shut the fuck up?’” I hissed, trying to look discreet. 

[ i don’t have an answer for that. i suppose i acted on impulse. that is very unlike me. shall i run a diagnosis test? ]

“No, I think it’s fine. You sounded...irritated. That’s an emotion. Are you deviant?” I could tell Audrey was struggling to respond, so I shifted my attention back to Connor. No one was asking me anything. I was, for a while, invisible. I was so preoccupied with my observations that I had forgotten the question I asked Audrey, subconsciously letting it slide. Then Hank walked over to me and smacked me on the back, shaking his head worriedly. 

“Connor let me know about Gavin. God damn, I can’t fucking believe this,” he lowered his voice to the quietest whisper, “I know this is not my fight, but Connor is a son to me. I want him to live. Don’t make me bury another one.” 

“I put his life before mine,” I replied automatically, giving him a reassuring smile, “so if there’s anyone you should worry about, it should be yourself. I won’t get him killed.” I didn’t understand what he meant by ‘another one.’ Another son?

Hank seemed to backpedal a little. “Hey, don’t go throwing yourself into danger either, kid. I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I’m pulling excuses outta my ass for you and Connor right now. Jeffery is going nuts over some apartment burning down and Connor won’t tell me why he can’t take you home. So if you’re staying with us for a while, I’d like to know what the fuck is going on.” His tone was moderately aggressive, but I could tell he really meant well. 

“Thanks, old man,” I mumbled fondly, giving a small grin. “I...appreciate it.”

“Before I wrap this up with the boys and head back to the station, might I ask where your folks are? I mean, I’m sure they’re worried about where you’ve been and shit.”

I didn’t know my family. 

What the hell. 

“I...don’t have any, as far as I can tell.” It wasn’t a lie, but to be fair it wasn’t the whole truth either. 

“I see,” Hank’s face seemed to get older, if that was even possible. “Guess I’ll be acting in place for ‘em!” He chuckled and elbowed me playfully before walking away to a police officer in the front yard. 

Interesting. 

Someone tapped my back, and my extra fancy android systems informed me it was an RK800 model and listed his serial number. Connor. 

“Y/N,” he said as I turned around, “we can go back inside the house. The officers are done here, all they have to do is clean up.”

“But it was an accidental homicide! The android is dead!”

“Android death is destruction of property.”

He looked sad when he said that. 

“If destroying an android isn’t murder, then what if I die?”

“I don’t know. Do really want to find out?” He tilted his head as his LED flashed bright yellow. 

“No,” I lied, “not at all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im gonna go back to sleep

**Author's Note:**

> im sure this is a flop  
> ————  
> tumblr: yonaih


End file.
